Folding gate



Aug 29, 1967 J. CATALAN@ 3,338,289

FOLDING GATE Filed Jan, 22, 1965 v VvE/vm? JOSEPH CATALANO United StatesPatent O 3,338,289 FOLDING GATE Joseph Catalano, 1218 W. Grand Ave.,Chicago, Ill. 60622 Filed Jan. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 427,295 2 Claims. (Cl.160-161) The present invention relates to a folding gate.

A broad object of the invention is to provide a folding gate arrangedfor transversely closing an opening, and having an overhead track forsecuring the upper edge of the gate.

Previously, objectionable limitations existed as to the Width of a spanwhich a folding gate could effectively close. If the span or openingwere too wide, the mesh of the gate, when in extended and closedposition, would wobble and could easily be dellected transversely of theplane of the gate. There was no effective way to guide or secure theupper edge of the mesh because, due to the inherent characteristics ofthe folding gate, the mesh changes height between open and closedpositions and consequently if the overhead securing means were in aposition to secure the upper edge of the mesh in one position of thegate, it would not be in position to secure it in another position ofthe gate.

Another and principal object of the invention therefore is to provide afolding gate with an overhead track for securing the upper edge of themesh thereof, which moves vertically with the mesh in the movements ofthe gate between open and .closed positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding gate with anoverhead track of the character just referred to, together with novelguide means for guiding the track in its vertical movements.

Still another object is to provide a folding gate with an overhead trackof the character just referred to, in which the overhead track is freefloating in the guide means provided therefor, to facilitate opening andclosing movements of the gate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel folding gate ofthe character mentioned in which there is no necessity for speciallydesigning the door structure in which it is to be used.

Still another object is to provide a folding gate of the foregoinggeneral character, which is of extremely simple construction and thetime and expense for installing the gate is from a practical standpointnot greater than that required for a standard gate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing detail description taken in conjunction with the` accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View of a folding gate incorporating the features of thepresent invention, shown mostly in perspective, but with the mesh of thegate shown in elevation, this ligure showing the closed position of thegate in full lines in open position in dot-dash lines;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional View taken at line 2 2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken at line 3 3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a top view of the gate;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse horizontal section taken at line 5 5 at FIGURE1; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken at line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, attention is directed first toFIGURE 1 showing the gate as a whole. The gate proper is indicated 'at12 and includes a mesh 14 which may be a standard and known form of meshincluding strips 16 arranged in two sets with those of each set pivotedto these of the other, in the usual way. If desired the mesh may be ofthe type shown in Patent No.

3,338,289 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 ice 2,990,880, issued July 4, 1961, toMarie E. and Marlene F. Catalano and in such case would includeauxiliary strips 18 secured to the first mentioned strips 16.

The mesh 14 is secured to end rails 20 and 22 in the usual way. Theserails are provided with vertical slots 24 receiving pins 26 which formrivets for pivotally interconnecting the ends of certain ones of thestrips 16, these rivets having extended ends for working in the slots.

The folding gate is positioned in a doorway 28 extending between doorjambs 30 and 32, the jamb 30 being that adjacent which the folding gateis positioned when in open position. The rails 20 and 22 may be of anyknown type, in this case being in the form of angle irons.

The rail 20 is fixed in position adjacent the jamb 30 and in the presentinstance includes a pin 34 at the lower end fitted in a hole in the oor.At the upper end is another pin 36 fitted in a hole in a channel member38a of a guide means 38 for the overhead track, the guide means havingan opposite channel member 38b at the opposite side of the doorway. Thisguide means will be referred to again in connection'with the overheadtrack. It is also within the scope of the invention to have the rail 20secured directly to the jamb 30, but the securement of the upper endthereof to the channel member 38a adds to the simplicity of theinvention, particularly in the installation of the gate.

The folding gate may ride on the lioor or be supported at the bottom inany known and desired manner, and in the present instance a channelmember 40 is provided, secured to the floor in any suitable manner.Preferably a plurality of sets of rollers 42 are mounted on the extendedends of pins or shafts 44 which also serve as rivets for pivotallyinterconnecting the lower ends of the strips 16 of the two sets. Thenumber of rollers 42 provided may be as is desired, for example two orthree or four sets, the sets being spaced along the gate. If desired therail 22 at the moving end of the gate may ride directly on the bottom ofthe channel. Suitable locking means indicated diagrammatically at 45 maybe provided if desired.

The overhea-d track constituting the principal feature of the inventionis shown at 46. This overhead track,

shown in section at FIGURE 2, preferably is in the form of a known typeof track used for other kinds of doors, having a web portion 48, sidelian-ges 50, and return-bend elements 52, the extended edges of thelatter being spaced apart leaving a space 54 for receiving the upper endof the mesh. In this case also rollers 56 are provided, mounted on theextended ends of pins or shafts 58 which form rivets lfor pivotallyinterconnecting the upper ends of the strips 16. In this case also thenumber of sets of rollers 56 provided may be as desired, for example twoor three or fou-r. The overhead track 46 rests on these rollers andrides vertically thereon in the opening and closing movements of thegate. As is known, the mesh 14 changes in height in the opening andclosing movements of the gate, being higher when the gate is open andthe mesh in contracted position, and lower when the mesh is extended andin closed position. The gate is shown in extended and closed position infull lines, and in contracted and open position in dot-dash lines.

The ends of the overhead track 46 are loosely and slideably received inthe channels 38a and 38b, with suicient play to avoid binding. Thesechannels are open U-shape channels secured to the jambs 30 and 32 in anydesired manner, the webs of the channels being butted to the jambs andthe open sides of the channels of course facing each other across thedoorway.

Preferably the lower end of the channel 38a has a transverse horizontalelement 59 which may be lformed as an extension of one of the elementsof the channel, and welded in position, or may be a separate elementwelded thereto. This element has an aperture receiving the pin 36 on therail 20. This arrangement simplifies installation of the gate,eliminating the necessity for secu-ring the rail directly to the doorjamb 30.

Preferably the end of the overhead track adjacent the extended edge ofthe gate, i.e., the left end as viewed in -FIGURE 1, indicated at 46a issuspended by a tension spring 60 secured to a suitable iixed element inthe installation, While the other end is supported only by the mesh ofthe gate. The spring 60 serves to support that end of the track When thegate is in open position, that end otherwise tending to drop when thegate is in open position.

' In the closing movements ofthe gate when the free edge of the mesh ismoved toward the second jamb 32, the wheels 56 engage the bottomelements 52 off the overhead track and lower the end 46a of the trackagainst the lifting effect of the spring 60.

The overhead track 46 is free of securement to any of the xed members ofthe installation, such as the door structure, being confined solelyagainst transverse movement by the flanges of the channel members 38aand 38h. The tact that the guide channels 38 are separate from thedoorjambs, and secured thereto, renders the folding gate of theinvention adaptable to a standard door structure and eliminates thenecessity for specially designing the door structure.

This overhead track is efective for securing the mesh 'againstdeflection or displacement in directions transverse to the plane of themesh, and the mesh therefore becomes in effect a relatively rigid planemember. Even the intermediate portion, such as at the center of the meshwhen in extended position, cannot be deliected to any appreciable amountbecause of the rigidity of the strips forming the mesh. The channel 40at the bottom of course adds to the securement of the mesh, but evenwithout this channel the mesh is unusually rigid by reason of thesecurement by the overhead track. When the mesh is secured along threeedges, as in the present case, namely the two vertical edges and the topedge by the overhead track, the mesh is unusually rigid, without othersecurement. The inherent rigidity of the strips 16 making up the mesh,serves to greatly resist deiiection of the bottom edge of the -mesh whensecured at the other three edges as stated.

The overhead track 46, aside from the operative engagement of its endswith the guide means 38, is in itself operative for resisting deflectionof the mesh because of its length and its rigidity in directionstransverse to the plane of the mesh.

The overhead track 46 oifers practically no resistance to the openingand closing movements of the folding gate and as a result such a gatewith an overhead track can be provided of extremely great lengths forcorrespondingly wide doorways.

While I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of theinvention it will be understood that changes may be made therein withinthe scope of the a-ppended claims.

I claim:

1. A folding gate for use in a doorway between opposed doorjambscomprising in combination, a mesh including pivoted sets of stripssecured at one end to a first doorjamb and movable toward and from asecond doorjamb, the mesh having an open position in which it iscontracted and disposed adjacent the iirst doorjamb, and a closedposition in which it is extended across the doorway with its freeextended end adjacent the second doorjamb, the mesh changing in heightin moving between open and closed positions, a continuous and integraloverhead track operatively connected with the upper edge of the mesh andsecuring the latter against deection in directions transverse to theplane of the mesh, said overhead track having such connection with themes'h as to enable free and full movement of the mesh relative theretoin moving between open and closed positions, the overhead track beingsupported by the mesh and freely movable bodily vertically with theupper edge thereof, and means other than the mesh for yieldablysuspending the end of the overhead track adjacent the second doorjamb,and operative for retaining that end off the overhead tracksubstantially at the same height as the end adjacent the first doorjambwhen the mes-h is in open position and contracted.

2. The invention set out in claim 1 wherein the overhead track is in theform of a channel having an open side facing downwardly and receivingthe upper edge of the mesh, an open space is formed between interfacingedges of inwardly directed elements on the lower ends of the flanges ofthe channel, and the upper edge of the mesh has elements disposed in thechannel, engageable with said lower elements whereby upon movement ofthe mesh toward closed position with its -free edge moving toward thesecond doorjamb, said elements on the mesh engage said elements on theoverhead track and lower the end of the track adjacent the seconddoorjamb Vagainst the lifting action by said yieldable suspending means.

y References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 331,066A 4/1833 Goodwin et al.-39-76 447,102 2/1891 Bushman 16o- 161 n 494,323 4/1893 Pm 16o-137x582,098 5/1897 Ruemmlerret al.

FOREIGN PATENTS 355,137 11/1960 Great Britain. 159,679 7/1957 sweden.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. 'HARRISON R. MosELEY, Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner.

1. A FOLDING GATE FOR USE IN A DOORWAY BETWEEN OPPOSED DOORJAMBSCOMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A MESH INCLUDING PIVOTED SETS OF STRIPSSECURED AT ONE END TO A FIRST DOORJAMB AND MOVABLE TOWARD AND FROM ASECOND DOORJAMB, THE MESH HAVING AN OPEN POSITION IN WHICH IT ISCONTRACTED AND DISPOSED ADJACENT THE FIRST DOORJAMB, AND A CLOSEDPOSITION IN WHICH IT IS EXTENDED ACROSS THE DOORWAY WITH ITS FREEEXTENDED END ADJACENT THE SECOND DOORJAMB, THE MESH CHANGING IN HEIGHTIN MOVING BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, A CONTINUOUS AND INTEGRALOVERHEAD TRACK OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH THE UPPER EDGE OF THE MESH ANDSECURING THE LATTER AGAINST DEFLECTION IN DIRECTIONS TRANSVERSE TO THEPLANE OF THE MESH, SAID OVERHEAD TRACK HAVING SUCH CONNECTION WITH THEMESH AS TO ENABLE FREE AND FULL MOVEMENT OF THE MESH RELATIVE THERETO INMOVING BETWEEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, THE OVERHEAD TRACK BEINGSUPPORTED BY THE MESH AND FREELY MOVABLE BODILY VERTICALLY WITH THEUPPER EDGE THEREOF, AND MEANS OTHER THAN THE MESH FOR YIELDABLYSUSPENDING THE END OF THE OVERHEAD TRACK ADJACENT THE SECOND DOORJAMB,AND OPERATIVE FOR RETAINING THAT END OF THE OVERHEAD TRACK SUBSTANTIALLYAT THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE END ADJACENT THE FIRST DOORJAMB WHEN THE MESHIS IN OPEN POSITION AND CONTRACTED.